4 days ago
Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Venice—Italy's Haven for Art and Architecture Fans
When Claude Monet first arrived in Venice in 1908, he was 68 years old and deeply reluctant to visit what he considered an overcrowded destination that had been painted so many times by others. The Impressionist master had specifically avoided Venice, dismissing it as overhyped and too touristy—a statement that's still quite accurate in today's travel conversations. Yet after seeing the city, Monet was instantly captivated, stating it may be too beautiful to be painted. Though he tried to resist the urge, Monet ended up creating 37 luminous canvases that captured Venice perfectly.
This tension between Venice's magnetic beauty and its tourism challenges reflects the thousand-year story of a city built on contradictions: Venice was the capital of a maritime republic for nearly a millennium (810–1797 CE), controlling territories across the Adriatic and Mediterranean while serving as Europe's first true international financial center. Constructed on over a hundred small islands connected by bridges and canals, Venice was originally established as a safe haven for people fleeing persecution after the Roman Empire's collapse, and evolved into one of the world's greatest cities for trading.
Today, as Venice transforms into a living laboratory during the 2025 Architecture Biennale's exhibition of 'natural, artificial, and collective intelligence,' the city continues its long tradition of innovation. Like Monet, who overcame his hesitations to create some of his most beloved works, contemporary visitors who look beyond the crowds discover a Venice that remains what it has always been—118 islands connected by 400-plus bridges where canals replace streets and gondolas are your Uber. The city somehow works despite being built entirely on water, and what makes it irresistible to art and architecture lovers is that you're essentially wandering through a living museum. Byzantine churches house Tintoretto masterpieces and every palazzo tells the stories of Venetians who turned their improbable floating city into one of the world's greatest art collections. Here's where to find it all on your next visit.
How to get around Venice's 100+ islands
Venice's car-free streets mean water transportation is the way to go—the ACTV vaporetto (water bus) system is your most wallet-friendly option, with day passes starting around 25 euros and routes connecting all of the most frequented islands, the airport, and the train station. For a quick canal crossing, hop on a traghetto (shared gondola) for just 2 euros, while private water taxis offer luxury door-to-door service at premium prices (expect 100+ euros for even the shortest of trips). Gondola rides are purely romantic tourist activities, rather than practical transport, typically costing 80–100 euros for 30 minutes, but walking is the best way to discover Venice's magic, if time allows. For touring around, Classic Boats Venice offers many different types of boats and private lagoon tours for those itching to explore Venice's waterways beyond the standard routes.
At Il Palazzo Experimental, modern Italian cuisine meets Venetian tradition through locally sourced ingredients and bold flavors.
Karel Balas/Il Palazzo Experimental
Chef Denis Begiqi brings Mediterranean flair to the Renaissance-era palace setting of Il Palazzo Experimental.
Mr. Tripper/Il Palazzo Experimental
What to eat and drink in Venice
Ignore anyone who says there's no good food in Venice. The food scene is dialed in—you just have to know where to go and how to separate yourself from the tourists. The lagoon's unique ecosystem provides ingredients that make Venetian cuisine so distinctive: There's schie (tiny, local shrimp) and moeche (soft-shell crab) that appear seasonally, creating dishes you simply can't find anywhere else. These specialties shine in Venice's culture of cicchetti—small plates served at traditional bacari (wine bars) that let you sample multiple local flavors in one sitting. And don't overlook tramezzini: Venice's answer to tea sandwiches are triangular, crustless bread filled with everything from tuna and artichokes to prosciutto and figs and perfect for a quick lunch between museum visits (head to Bar Alla Toletta for some of the city's best). And when you order a spritz in Venice, you'll get the traditional Venetian version made with Select Aperitivo—the ruby-red, bitter liqueur created by the Pilla brothers in 1920 specifically for Venice with 30 botanicals including juniper and rhubarb. Served with prosecco, soda water, and garnished with a green olive, the original spritz predates the global Aperol phenomenon and delivers a more sophisticated, balanced, and bittersweet profile.
Start your mornings at Rialto Market (mornings only, Monday to Saturday) for the freshest ingredients, then head to Algiubagio restaurant, where the prime over-the-water terrace and the striking Davide Penso vibrant green seaweed Murano glass statement piece signal you've arrived somewhere special. This is home to Venice's most iconic tiramisu, a tribute to Banksy, who allegedly dined here during a previous Biennale season. Chef Daniele Zennaro's commitment to sourcing everything from the lagoon makes this the epicenter of the city's zero-kilometer movement.
